A Dangerous Game
by Misha
Summary: AU. Circumstances force Lady Brenda and Lord Jason into an arranged marriage. But as she is his best friend's mistress and he is still in love with his dead wife, neither of them expects it to ever be more than a sham. However, life rarely happens like yo
1. Introduction and Cast of Characters

A Dangerous Game   
By Misha 

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters of General Hospital. They belong to the creators of General Hospital, Wendy Riche, Bob Guza, ABC Daytime, and probably a lot of other people with more money than me. I'm not making any money off this story so please don't sue me. 

Author's Notes- The idea for this story came to me in a dream, believe it or not and I couldn't resist writing it down. It's an AU set either sometime in the past or in a fairy tale world of lords and ladies. Certainly not in the current timeline. A lot of the familiar characters show up, though they've been changed greatly. This will definitely be a Brazen romance, with some Sonny/Carly thrown in. I adore Brazen and like Sonny/Carly, though I prefer Sonny/Brenda. There will be a fair bit of Sonny/Brenda in this, especially at the beginning, but as I said, in the end it will be Brazen and S/C. I just have to get them to that point. Well, that's all, enjoy! 

Summery- AU. Circumstances force Lady Brenda and Lord Jason into an arranged marriage. But as she is his best friend's mistress and he is still in love with his dead wife, neither of them expects it to ever be more than a sham. However, life rarely happens like you expect it too... (Brazen romance, eventually.) 

Rating- PG-13

* * *

The Major Players:

Lord Michael "Sonny" Corinthos: A rich and powerful landowner. Plays to win and has obtained power by less than honest means. Married his first wife, Lily, for power, but continued an affair with another woman. After Lily's death, he was finally free, but the beautiful Brenda was taken. He waited around, and some say took fate into his own hands, until she was free, but circumstances may make it impossible for him to wed her. However, even if he is forced to wed another, he will not allow his beloved Brenda to fall from his grasp. 

Lady Brenda Barrett Jacks: The daughter of the powerful Lord Harlam, Earl of Genia, she is both beautiful and spoiled. She fell in love with Lord Corinthos at a young age and continued a passionate affair with him even after he married another. She married the wealthy Jasper Jacks to keep up appearances, though it became constricting when Sonny's wife died in childbirth. While she was honestly fond of her gentle husband, her feelings for him never compared to her love for Sonny. She grieved his death, but mourned only for a short period, before publicly courting Sonny again. Her father is urging her to marry again or else. But it may not be possible for her to marry Sonny and the mysterious Lord Alcazar has made it clear that he wants Brenda for himself. 

Lady Caroline "Carly" Cassidine: The daughter of two of the most powerful families, the Cassidines and the Spencers. A headstrong young woman, who always gets what she wants. Once had her sights set on the handsome young Lord Morgan, but he spurned her advances and married another, so she turned her attention to Lord Corinthos. She is bewitched by his power and personality. She has decided that she wants to be his wife and will let nothing stand in her way. She is aware of his relationship with Lady Jacks, but she doesn't care. She is willing to do **whatever** it takes to have Sonny as her husband. 

Lord Jason Morgan: Once the golden boy of the powerful Quartermaine family, a riding accident robbed him of his memory and gave him a new persona. He distanced himself from his family and struck out on his own, coming under the wing of Lord Corinthos. In the years since leaving Quartermaine nest, he has gained lots of money and power on his own as well as a feared and respected name. He never forgets what Sonny did for him and would do just about anything for his friend. He keeps to himself and has lived alone since his young wife Robin died of scarlet fever four years ago. He has no romantic attachments and no plans on getting involved again. 

Lord Alcazar: A mysterious and powerful foreigner who has arrived in Port Charles with the sole agenda of acquiring the hand of the beautiful Brenda. He seems bewitched by her beauty and seems prepared to do anything to win it for himself. He is a man who hates to lose and know no boundaries on what he would do to get what he wants. He usually succeeds. 

Lord A.J. Quartermaine- The eldest child of Lord Alan and Lady Monica, always told that he wasn't good enough. All his life he was compared to his younger brother Jason. After causing the accident which robbed Jason of his memory, A.J was even further disgraced in the family and fell deeper into the bottle. He has a large hatred of his brother and would do anything to just once feel superior. 

Lady Courtney Quartermaine- The younger sister of Lord Corinthos. After a fight with her brother, she recklessly eloped with A.J, knowing that Sonny despised him. She grew to regret her decision as her husband's drinking grew worse. She is a prisoner in a trap of her own making and longs for a way out. She also fantasizes about her brother's best friend, Jason, seeing him as the perfect man. In her mind, she has made him the romantic ideal and would do almost anything to be able to be with him. 

Lady Skye Quartermaine- The illegitimate daughter of Lord Alan, who was only accepted into the Quartermaine family when she was a teenager. Skye is terribly insecure, she is also jealous of those who were given all that she was denied during her childhood. She especially hates the spoiled and pampered Lady Brenda. That hatred was only intensified when her fiancŽ, Lord Jasper Jacks, broke their engagement in order to marry Brenda. She was devastated by him leaving her and never gave up hope that he would return to her. When he was killed, she blamed Brenda and swore that someday she would get her revenge.

* * *


	2. Prologue: The Arrangement

A Dangerous Game   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Rating in Introduction._

Prologue- The Arrangement

"What did you want to speak to me about?" Jason asked his best friend. 

Sonny had sent an urgent message telling Jason to come to Corinthos immediately. 

Sonny made a face. "It seems that I've been forced into a corner." 

He scowled. "Lord Spencer informed me that unless I married his niece that I would lose all support from the Cassidine and Spencer families on my next venture and you know that without there support, I would be doomed." 

Jason didn't say anything. 

"There was also a nice threat to report some of my less than honorable dealings to the authorities." Sonny added darkly. "Along with evidence, of course. All in all, leaving me no choice but to marry the Cassidine brat." 

"Carly's a nice girl." Jason said after a moment. "A little headstrong and willful, but basically all right." 

Sonny scowled again. "I don't care what she's like. I don't want to marry her. Jason, Brenda and I are both finally free. Do you know how long I've been waiting to marry her? Ten years!" 

"Won't Brenda understand?" Jason asked. "I mean, she had no problems being your mistress when you were married to Lily." 

Jason's face showed what he had thought of that. Though his opinion of the lovely Lady Jacks had never been high. He thought she was silly and superficial and never understood the power she had over Sonny. 

Sonny smiled slightly. 

"She'll understand." He acknowledged. "She'll be mad as Hell, but in the end, she'll understand. However, that's not the problem. It's her father." 

"What about him?" Jason asked. 

"Harlam has laid down the law." Sonny said. "He's forcing Brenda to marry again--soon. And he doesn't care who she marries, he's basically prepared to sell her off to the highest bidder." 

Sonny paused, obviously choosing his words carefully. 

"We both know that if it's not me, it'll be Alcazar." He said after a moment, all but spitting the name. 

Jason's eyes narrowed. He too was suspicious of the newcomer who appeared to be edging in on their territory and business interests. 

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Jason asked after a moment. 

Sonny sighed. "I can't not marry Spencer's niece, there's too much at stake, but I can't let Brenda fall into Alcazar's hands. That's where you come in." 

"What do you want me to do?" Jason asked, then he looked at his friend carefully. 

His eyes widened. 

"No way." He said after a moment. "Sonny, you can't be serious." 

"Jase, it's the only way." Sonny told him. "Do you think I like the idea? But I can't think of anything else. Jason, you know that I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't desperate. I need you to marry Brenda." 

Jason made his face. 

"Sonny, she and I have never been able to get along!" He protested. "We can barely stand to be in the same room as one another for more than five minutes." 

Sonny laughed. "Well at least this way I don't have to worry about my best friend sleeping with my girl. Come on Jason, please? I know it's a lot to ask, but it's only temporary." 

"How so?" Jason asked disbelievingly. 

"Once this deal is over, I'll find a way to eliminate the evidence that Lord Spencer has over me and I'll divorce his brat of a niece and you can divorce Brenda and we'll marry." 

Jason raised his eyebrows. Divorce was very rare and frowned upon in polite circles. "You'd risk public censure for her?" 

Sonny smiled. "Jason, I'd risk anything for her. Will you do it?" 

Jason sighed and shook his head. "I'm probably going to regret this, but fine. I'll marry the girl."

* * *


	3. Part One: Set In Motion

A Dangerous Game   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction._

Part One- Set In Motion

"What!" Brenda stared at her lover in shocked fury. "You want me to do **what**!" 

"I need you to marry Jason." Sonny said calmly. "Brenda, I explained the situation, this is the only way." 

Brenda looked up at Sonny with pouting brown eyes. 

"But Sonny, I thought that you and I would _finally_ be able together." She whined. 

"I know, princess." Sonny told her. "And I thought so too, but the situation is out of my control. But soon, soon we'll be able to be together, this isn't forever." 

"Jason and I dislike each other." Brenda argued. "We'll never be able to survive in the same house." 

"You'll manage." Sonny said with a laugh. "Darling, there isn't anyone else I would trust in such a situation. Jason's the most honorable man I know." 

"Do you trust _me_ not to seduce him?" Brenda asked silkily. 

Sonny laughed. "Only because I know that you despise Jason and that you would never do that to Robin's memory." 

Brenda acknowledged the truth in his words. Jason's late wife had been her best friend and Brenda still missed her deeply. Their grief over Robin's death was the one thing that she and Jason had ever had in common, besides their mutual affection for Sonny. 

"Besides," Sonny continued with another laugh, "even if you did try to seduce him, I know Jason well enough to know that you wouldn't succeed. As I said, he's the most honorable man I know, he would never betray me like that." 

"I don't see why you get to have your fun when I don't." Brenda protested. "I mean, you'll be sharing the bed of that Cassidine witch." 

Sonny laughed contemptuously. "Do you think for one moment that Caroline Cassidine can hold a candle to you? Of course not. I'll only be sharing her bed because it's expected and believe me, I'll be doing it has rarely as possible." 

"Just don't go and fall for her." Brenda muttered. 

Sonny pulled her close to him. 

"Never." He promised. "There's only one woman for me and that's you. Besides, it's not like I intend to give you up." 

"Oh, really?" Brenda asked, pretending to be shocked. "But we'll both be married!" 

"So?" Sonny asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did that ever stop us before?" 

Brenda giggled. "I guess not. But we're actually going to have to be discreet this time, aren't we?" 

"For a time." Sonny told her. "In public you and Jason should at least pretend to be happily married." 

Brenda snorted. "As if that could ever happen." 

She sighed and tossed her head, her luxurious brown locks flying everywhere. 

"Fine, I'll go along with your plan and marry Jason." She conceded gazing up at Sonny. "But you better make it worth my while." 

"Always." Sonny promised her, pinning her body against his as he claimed her mouth with his own.

* * *

Jason arrived at Barrett Manor next day and found Brenda waiting for him. 

"Has Sonny informed you of his plan?" Jason asked. 

Brenda scowled. "Oh, yes, he told me." 

Jason rolled his eyes. "You know, I'm not exactly crazy about the idea either." 

Brenda didn't say anything. 

"He thinks he can run my life." She muttered finally. "He makes all the decisions and I don't get a say." 

Jason didn't say anything. 

"Do you think that we have any chance of actually pretending that we **want** to be married?" Brenda asked, making a face. 

"We have to." Jason said flatly. "We can't let anyone know that it's a sham or that you intend to continue sleeping with Sonny." 

"I know." Brenda said softly. "I have to pretend that I'm crazy about you." 

She laughed contemptuously. 

"Yeah, the idea doesn't appeal to me either." Jason told her. "But we're both doing it because it's what Sonny needs us to." 

"I know." Brenda said quietly. 

"So, Brenda, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Jason gritted out the words. 

The last time he had spoken those words was too Robin and it had been in drastically different circumstances. He had adored his wife and this new union seemed to make a mockery of all that he and Robin had shared. 

"I will." Brenda said, making a face. 

Jason handed her the ring that Sonny had provided him with. Brenda took it and slipped it on her finger. 

"I suppose that you wish to talk to my father." She said after a moment. 

"Yeah." Jason said. 

"Come with me." She told him and she led him out of the sitting room. 

Jason followed her, all the while wondering just what it was that he had done.

* * *


	4. Part Two: Preperation

A Dangerous Game   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction._

Part Two- Preparation

_A Month Later_

Carly looked at the ring on her finger in glee. 

She had done it. She had landed Sonny Corinthos. 

Sure it had taken a lot of manipulation and basic blackmail, but he was hers. 

She looked up at her handsome new fiancŽ. 

"When will we announce it?" She asked. 

"Tonight." He told her coldly. "There's a ball at the Barrett's. We'll announce it then." 

Carly scowled at the mention of the Barrett family. She knew all about Sonny's affair with the beautiful Brenda and she didn't intend to sit idly by while the affair continue. 

However, she liked the idea of announcing her engagement that night. It would be such a blow to the other woman to have Sonny's marriage to another woman announced in her home. 

Carly smiled. Oh, this would be good.

* * *

Courtney dressed slowly. 

She wasn't all that eager to spend an evening pretending that she was happy. Her marriage was Hell on Earth and it was slowly tearing her apart. 

The only thing that motivated her to go to the ball that night was the thought of seeing Jason, if only for a moment. 

Her brother-in-law had always been very kind to her and she lived for the moments that she spent with him. As rare as they were. 

Jason was all that A.J would never be and she adored him. She just wished that she could speak of her feelings or find out whether or not he returned them. 

_Why not._ She thought suddenly. _Why can't I go to Jason? A.J need never know._

A smile fluttered across her face as she contemplated the idea. 

Maybe she would do it, tell Jason how she felt. Have an affair with him. At least it would be something. 

"I'll do it." She whispered. "Tonight I'll approach Jason and tell him how I feel about him."

* * *

Brenda fussed with her hair. 

Tonight her marriage to Jason would be announced. 

They had eloped that morning and that night they would tell everyone what they had done. 

They had waited a month, so that everyone wouldn't be able to see through their scheme. 

She and Sonny had stopped seeing each other publicly, as he began to court Lady Caroline and she started making appearances with Jason. 

She let it slip to a few well-known gossips that she and Sonny had called it quits. After all, their affair had been no secret among society. 

"It's just one of those things," she had explained with a shrug to an eager Lady Vining, the biggest gossip of all. "You know sometimes, things just lose the appeal they once had. That's the way it is with Sonny and I, it just sort of dulled and faded away." 

It was a lie of course, as she and Sonny were still seeing each other in private as often as possible, which wasn't nearly as often as Brenda would have liked. 

However, publicly their ruse appeared to have worked. Sonny was often seen in the company of Lady Caroline, while Brenda and Jason were rarely apart. 

Brenda had slipped some false details to the gossips about that one as well. 

"Jason and I have always been friends, you know." She told one sympathetic listener, knowing that it would be all over town by nightfall. "Between my relationship with Sonny and his marriage to Robin, we saw a lot of each other. I guess when both of those relationships were over and it was just the two of us, we saw something that had been there all along. We've always held affection for one another, it's just starting to grow into something else. Until things ended with Sonny, I never even thought of Jason as a potential suitor, but now things have changed." 

Of course everything said was a big lie. She and Jason would never be each other's biggest fan, in fact they actively disliked one another. It was a struggle for the two of them to remain civil, although she had to admit, she found his company amusing times. 

Still, she had no idea how she was going to cope with living with him from that night onward. The two of them sharing such close quarters was sure to be a disaster. 

It was only because of Sonny that she went through with this farce. 

That and the fact that Lord Alcazar frightened her and that she did **not** want to end up married to him. 

And if Jason was the only alternative, then so be it.

* * *


	5. Part Three: In Wait of the Night

A Dangerous Game   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction._

Part Three

Lord Alcazar smiled to himself. 

Tonight he would approach Harlam Barrett with an offer for his beautiful daughter. From what he had observed, he knew that the older man would be receptive. 

Alcazar had been holding back, biding his time. 

He had been aware of the beautiful Brenda's affair with Corinthos, of course, and was just waiting to see what his opponent did. To his surprise, Corinthos and Brenda ended their affair. 

Alcazar was thrilled, after all now the field was clear for him. Corinthos was really the only competition that he had. 

Of course, Brenda was now often seen in the company of Morgan, but Alcazar doubted that it was anything serious. From what he saw, Corinthos had ditched Brenda and had dispatched Morgan to escort her publicly for a time so that she wouldn't look like she had been jilted. 

There was no way there was anything serious between the two. From what he had heard, they hated each other's guts. 

No, there was no worries. 

Tonight, he would claim his prize. The beautiful Lady Jacks would be his.

* * *

Sonny sighed. 

He and Caroline had parted company for a while, though he would escort her to tonight's ball. 

Which was going to be fun. 

Besides, the fact that he had told Caroline that he would announce their engagement that night, he was also aware that the soul purpose of the ball was for Harlam to announce the surprise nuptials of Brenda and Jason. 

Sonny wondered how he would be able to survive an entire night of watching Brenda in another man's arms. Her husband's arms. 

This would be even worse than when she was married to the candy boy. At least then, he had been able to gaze at her with longing and steal the occasional dance. 

Their past affair had been no secret then and most were aware that they had never stopped sleeping together. 

However, now things were different. 

Now he and Brenda had to pretend that things were well and truly over. 

He laughed to himself. 

As if that would ever happen. He and Brenda would never be over. They were in each other's blood. Soul mates, destined to be together somewhere, somehow, despite the odds. 

No, nothing would ever keep him and Brenda apart, not really.

* * *

Jason looked at the portrait of his adored Robin. 

How he had loved her from the moment he had seen her. 

She had been so beautiful, so delicate. Her health had never been good and they only had two years together before scarlet fever claimed her life. 

But even though he had shared only a short time with her, he knew that he would never feel that way again. 

After his accident, he had been lost and Robin had come into his life and taught him how to live. 

She had brought such a brightness with her and every day without her seemed eternally gray. 

And now he was dishonoring her memory, by entering into a sham of a marriage with someone else. 

Except, he knew that Robin would understand. She understood everything. 

"I love you." He whispered to the portrait of his late wife, wishing for millionth time that she was still with him. 

But she wasn't and that morning he had taken another wife. 

If you could call her that. 

Jason shook his head, it was one Hell of a mess they had gotten themselves into. 

And he hated the idea of Brenda living in the home that he had shared with Robin, it just seemed wrong. But he had no choice and that night she would move in. 

But really, he didn't regret his decision. It wasn't like he would ever fall in love again, so what did it matter if he bound himself to Brenda for a short time? 

Besides, at least this way, he was helping someone be happy. 

Happy as he had been with Robin. As he would never be again.

* * *


	6. Part Four: Announcement

A Dangerous Game   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction._

Part Four- Announcement

Brenda stood with Jason at her side, observing the other people in the ballroom. 

Sonny had already arrived in the company of Lady Caroline. 

It had been all that Brenda could do not to glare at the other woman as she claimed Sonny's attention. 

But, that would not do, so Brenda averted her gaze and looked around the crowded room. All the usual players were there. 

The Quartermaine family was present in full force, she knew that they would be thrilled at tonight's announcement. They would take it as a sign that Jason was coming back to the fold. 

_As if._ Brenda thought, casting a rueful look at her "beloved", who had made his opinions on his estranged family perfectly clear. 

Then she turned her attention to A.J, the so-called failure of the family, and his wife. She noted that Courtney looked strained, not that she could blame the girl. It couldn't be an easy life, being married to the town drunk. 

Brenda looked beside Courtney to see Lady Skye glowering at her. Not that that was anything new, Brenda was used to the other woman's hatred and had long accepted that nothing would change it. 

She shrugged and looked away, turning her attention to Lord Ned, the heir apparent and Lord Edward's golden boy. The son of the black sheep daughter and apparently following in his grandfather's footsteps. 

His wife Alexis was none other than the illegitimate daughter of the late Cassidine family patriarch. 

Brenda shrugged and dismissed the Quartermaines as she continued gazing around the room. 

There were the Cassidine and Spencer families, once bitter rivals, united in the marriage of Lady Barbara Spencer and Lord Stefan Cassidine. 

Brenda scanned the two families and then continued to glance around the room, catching sight of all of Port Charles' best known citizens before she returned her attention to the man at her side. 

"Are you done looking around the room for no apparent reason?" Jason asked softly. 

Brenda smiled up at him. 

"I was just seeing who was here." She told him a low voice. "You know, seeing how the scene was set for the grand announcement." 

Suddenly, her eyes locked on Lord Alcazar and she shivered. He caught her eye and smiled at her, raising his glass. 

Quickly, she looked away. 

"He gives me the creeps." She whispered. 

"Who?" Jason asked, checking where she was looking and then he stiffened. 

"There's something about him..." He muttered. 

He looked down at Brenda, his expression serious. 

"Don't worry." He promised her. "He won't touch you. That's one of the reasons we did this, remember, so that you'll be free from him." 

Brenda nodded. "I know." 

"Are you ready?" Jason asked. "I think you're father's making the announcement." 

Sure enough, Harlam was at the front of the room and asking for quiet. 

"I'm ready." Brenda said, though she wasn't sure that was true, and she and Jason headed to the front of the room. 

"May I have your attention." Harlam said as Brenda and Jason reached his side. "I have a joyous attention to make. This morning my precious daughter Brenda and Lord Jason Morgan were married. I am, of course, overjoyed by the news and I ask all of you to help me celebrate their union!"

* * *


	7. Part Five: The Reaction

A Dangerous Game  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction._

Part Five- Reaction

Courtney stared in horror at the words.

No, it couldn't be! Jason couldn't be married to someone else, could he?

She looked from Jason to Brenda and then back again. The beautiful brunette was holding up her hand to show the incredible engagement ring that rested there as well as the thin gold wedding band that pronounced her Jason's wife. She was leaning again Jason and he had a content look on his face.

Courtney shook her head.

_No,_ she thought silently, _t's not supposed to be like this! Jason is supposed to be **mine**!_

In all her dreams of Jason she had never imagined the possibility of him marrying someone else. 

Mainly because everyone had told her it would never happen. Over and over again she had heard how Jason would never remarry, how many had tried to win him and failed, and now here he was announcing that his elopement.

And to Brenda Jacks of all people! 

Courtney made a face. She didn't deserve Jason. The other woman was no better than a slut, albeit a very beautiful one. After all, it was well known that she had been Courtney's brother's mistress for years, even when they were both married to other people. 

How could Jason settle for a woman like that?

She shook her head. No, Brenda didn't deserve Jason and Courtney was going to make sure that she didn't get to keep him. At least not for long.

Maybe, she was too late to stop the marriage, but that didn't mean that there was nothing that she could do.

No, she would find a way to show Jason how wrong Brenda was for him. 

Carly heard the news and looked over at the man at her side.

Sonny didn't look surprised. In fact, there was no emotion on his handsome face at the news.

"You don't seem surprised?" She commented.

"I'm not." Sonny told her bluntly. "Jason told me that he and Brenda were going to elope before they did."

"Doesn't it bother you?" She asked.

She wasn't a fool. She knew why Sonny was with her and she knew that he had been tied to Lady Jacks for a very long time.

"Of course it bothers me." He said smoothly. "But what can I do? Brenda and I are over. She's free to marry whoever she pleases and Jason's a good man. He'll make her happy."

His words had a ring of finality to them, as far as Sonny was concerned the subject was closed.

Carly looked at the front of the room and Jason and Brenda.

Well, while it bothered her a bit that Jason had married that bitch, she was basically pleased.

After all, it meant that Brenda was no longer a threat to her and Sonny.

Oh, Carly was no fool and knew that marriage vows wouldn't stop them if they wanted to be together, but she also knew how close Sonny and Jason were.

She knew that Sonny would never betray Jason in that way, so that as long as Brenda was Jason's wife, she was off-limits to Sonny.

Carly grinned. What a great day this was turning out to be.

Oh, she was a little sorry, that she wouldn't get to cause the oh-so-beautiful Brenda pain by announcing her engagement to Sonny, but... This was a million times better.

At least now she knew that the other woman was no longer a threat.

Alcazar muttered a curse.

_Damn it!_ He thought. _How did this happen?_

He had been so sure that Morgan wasn't a threat, that he hadn't paid him much heed. Apparently that had turned out to be a fatal mistake.

He glared at the other man, as Jason led Brenda on to the dance floor for a celebratory waltz.

Anger boiled in him at the sight of Brenda's small frame nestled in the other man's arms.

Her husband's arms.

_She's mine._ He seethed. _Mine. And I will not lose her._

This was just a setback, nothing else. It didn't really change anything. It just made things a little bit more difficult for him and delayed his plans a bit.

But this was not over, not by a long shot.

Skye glared at Brenda.

Rage poured out of her. That woman got everything!

First she had Jax, without even wanting him. It was clear to everyone that she was only using him to try and cover her affair with Sonny, but he had been oblivious.

Jax had been blinded by Brenda's beauty and charm. He had never seen her for what she really was.

Even after she married him and made a fool of him by continuing her dalliance with Sonny, he still adored her.

And then, when she got bored of him, of having to be married while Sonny was free, Jax mysteriously died.

Nothing would ever convince Skye that Brenda hadn't had a hand in that. After all, it was not like she had seriously mourned his death.

And now, that she had apparently been set aside by Corinthos, which served her right in Skye's opinion, she just moved on to the nearest male to sink her claws into.

And this time it was Skye's own brother. Oh, it wasn't like she and Jason were close, or even civil, but... He was still family and Skye didn't want to see him hurt by that witch Brenda.

She shook her head. She would never understand why men kept falling under her spell.

Well, she wasn't going to stand by placidly this time. Somehow, someway, this time she was going to ruin Brenda.

No matter what it took, that bitch was going down!

A.J watched his brother with undisguised envy.

Jason had all the luck. 

First he had beautiful, sweet Robin as his wife and now he had married Brenda, the most beautiful and passionate woman that A.J had ever seen.

What was it about Jason that made such women want him?

A.J cast a look at his own wife. Even she lusted after his darling brother. Not that Jason ever noticed her.

Why would he when he could have the lovely Brenda by his side and in his bed? Even if Brenda was as about as tainted as you get, she was still worth it.

A.J looked at Courtney again. It wasn't fair that he was stuck with Corinthos' pale, insipid sister, while Jason got all the luck.

God, when it would stop? When A.J finally get his fair share of what Jason had so much of?


	8. Part Six: At the Ball

A Dangerous Game  
By Misha

_ i Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction. /i _

u Part Six- At the Ball /u

Brenda leaned in to Jason's arms as they danced and looked around the room.

Well their announcement had certainly shocked many.

Not that Brenda could blame people for being surprised.

It was rather sudden. 

Brenda closed her eyes for a minute and let herself pretend that things were different. And that instead of being forced into a marriage with a man she disliked, she was finally Sonny's wife. 

Then she opened her eyes, there was no use in dreaming. This was how things had to be. For now at least.

Brenda sought Sonny out in the crowd and their eyes met for a moment.

Brenda saw the promise in them and felt better. This was only going to be temporary.

Soon, she and Sonny would be together, just like they were meant to be.

Sonny took Caroline's hand and led her on to the dance floor.

But even as he held her close to him, his thoughts were on another woman.

He looked at his bride-to-be and found her lacking. She was attractive enough and certainly she was spirited, but she was not his Brenda.

He glanced across at the room at his beloved and tried to resist the pain he felt in seeing her in any other man's arms. Even Jason's. 

"Sonny?" Caroline questioned.

He smiled into her eyes. "Yes?"

"You just seemed so far away." She told him. "As if you were on another planet." 

"I was just thinking." He told her.

She seemed to accept his answer.

"I want to get married soon." She said suddenly. "I don't want ot bother with a big ceremony, I just want to be your wife."

"Okay." Sonny told her.

He was fine with that. He would rather not go through a big trumped up ceremony for a marriage that he had no intention of enduring for longer than he absolutely had to. 

Caroline smiled. "Good. I'll tell Mama and we'll arrange for it to be soon."

Sonny nodded. "Whatever you'd like."

It didn't matter to him.

Besides, the sooner he and Caroline married, the sooner he could work on getting out of this marriage and then he and Brenda could be together. 

Forever, just like they were meant to be.

Once the required waltz was over, Brenda led Jason over to start talking to people.

He followed dutifully, counting the time until he would be able to escape. He hated things like this.

And he especially hated having to pretend that he was happy being married to Brenda.

He stifled a sigh as Brenda approached the Quartermaines. Wonderful. Just what this evening needed.

"I can't tell you how happy we are for you!" Lady Monica gushed, looking at Jason with loving eyes. "We hope that you'll be very happy."

"We will be." Brenda said with a smile.

Lord Edward, the patriarch snorted. "As if that would happen, with this ruffian."

"Edward." Brenda admonished gently. "Jason is a very nice man and we're going to be very happy."

Edward snorted again. "Hah." 

Jason didn't say anything, he just stood there and stared into space.

i _Just let this be over soon._ /i He prayed silently.

"Hi Jason." A soft voice said, jolting him from this thoughts.

He turned to see Courtney smiling at him.

"Hi." He said with a slight smile. He genuinely liked Courtney, though he had no idea what she saw in a loser like A.J.

"I was surprised by the announcement." She said quietly. "I mean, I didn't think you and Brenda liked each other that much."

Jason shrugged.

"It was just one of those things." He said. "We've known each other a long time and well, you know."

Courtney nodded. "I hope you'll be very happy."

"Thank you." Jason said sincerely, though silently he was thinking that there wasn't a chance in Hell of that happening.

There was no way he and Brenda could ever be happy together, even if this was a real marriage. They were just too different.


	9. Part Seven: Empathy

A Dangerous Game  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction.  
_  
Part Seven- Empathy

When the ball was over, Jason and Brenda returned to his home.

They had brought some of her belongings with them, though the rest would be sent over in the mourning. 

"Here you are, there's your room." Jason said, showing Brenda to the room he had had prepared for her.

She nodded. "Thank you."

She paused. "Jason, you know that..."

"I know." Jason told her, knowing full well what she was going to say. "Just be discreet." 

"We will be." Brenda assured him.

Jason studied her for a moment. Her features looked drawn and there was an air of unhappiness about her.

"Why do you do this?" He asked her. "Why did you become Sonny's mistress when he was married to Lily and why are you willing to do it now? I mean, doesn't it bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me." She said softly. "But not as much as the idea of life without Sonny. I love him and if this is the only way I can have him, then so be it."

Jason nodded. "He does love you." He said softly.

Brenda smiled. "I know. That's the other reason, I'm able to do it. He might marry someone else, but it's me he loves and that's enough for me."

Jason shook his head. It suddenly struck him as sad.

Brenda was incredibly beautiful and she sparkled. She could have almost any man she wanted.

But instead of falling in love with someone who could make her happy, she had spent her entire adult life in love with Sonny.

Something which had given her a tainted reputation and not brought her much happiness.

He remembered how Robin had used to worry about her and he couldn't help but do the same now.

Oh, he still thought Brenda was spoiled and shallow, but... He couldn't help but think that she was wasting her best years.

He shook his head, it wasn't his place to say anything.

"Well, goodnight." He said softly.

Brenda nodded. "Goodnight."

* * *

Brenda sat in her room, thinking about her conversation with Jason.

She knew that he didn't approve of her being Sonny's mistress and she couldn't blame him.

Deep down, she wasn't sure she approved herself, but... There was no other choice.

She loved Sonny Corinthos desperately and couldn't even begin to imagine living without him. 

She had tried.

Despite what everyone thought, she hadn't married Jax to cover up her affair with Sonny.

She had married Jax to try and see if she could have a life without Sonny. It hadn't taken very long for her to realize that the answer was no, that she needed Sonny.

So, she had gone back to him. She honestly regretted hurting Jax. But he hadn't cared.

As he had told her once, after she had resumed her affair with Sonny, that he'd rather have her as his unfaithful wife than not have her at all. 

She had felt horribly guilty at his words and had tried to make him as happy as she could.

She only wished that she could have loved him, because he deserved it.

But unfortunately, she had given her heart away long before that and had never been able to get it back.

* * *


	10. Part Eight: Harsh Words

A Dangerous Game  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction.  
_  
Part Eight- Harsh Words

"Lady Morgan, you have a visitor." The butler announced.

Brenda smiled. "Show them in."

She was curious as to who had come to visitor, but figured it was some well-meaning matron who wanted to congratulate her on her marriage.

She was wrong.

"Skye." She said, as soon as she saw the other woman.

"I wanted to congratulate you for getting your hooks into another foolish male." Skye said with a bitter smile. "Men are all suckers for a pretty face, aren't they? I know that Jax certainly was."

Brenda rolled her eyes. "Let it go Skye. It's been a long time. Jax is dead."

"Because you killed him!" Skye cried.

Brenda looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

"Don't play dumb with me." Skye said in a low voice. "I know that you had Jax killed so you could be with Sonny, no matter how many times you deny it."

"You're delusional." Brenda said after a long minute.

"Deny it all you want." Skye said. "I know it's true and someday I'll prove it!"

With that the other woman turned and walked out.

Brenda watched her go with a shake of the head, she knew that Skye hated her, but she had never realized the depths of her hatred.

* * *

"Brenda, what's wrong?" Jason asked a few hours later when he came home to find his 'wife' staring out the sitting room window. 

"Your sister was here earlier." She said softly, still staring out the window.

"Emily?" Jason asked, trying to figure out how his beloved baby sister could cause Brenda to act so strangely. He had always thought that the two of them got along well.

Brenda shook her head, though she was still facing away from. "Not Emily. Skye."

"Oh, _her_." Jason didn't consider the other woman his sister.

Though, it wasn't the fact that she was his father's bastard. No, his distaste for Skye had to do with the fact that she entered the family after he had left it, that and the fact that her personality turned him off. She was just like the rest of his scheming, manipulative family and he had no time for any of them, save his grandmother and his sister, Emily, and occasionally, his mother.

But he had long since washed his hands of the rest of the family.

"What did she say?" Jason asked softly. He knew that Skye hated Brenda and he was sure that her words hadn't been kind.

"She accused me of having Jax killed." Brenda said flatly, still not looking at him.

Jason closed his eyes and sighed. Damn it. He had heard the rumors before, of course, but he knew that Brenda hadn't. Sonny had gone out of his way to make sure of that, to protect her.

"You don't look surprised." Brenda said, turning around and looking at Jason. "You've heard it before, haven't you?"

Jason nodded. "When Jax died, there were a lot of rumors, but we both know there was no truth in any of them and eventually they went away."

"Not totally." Brenda said quietly. "Skye still believes them. I could see it in her face, she honestly believes that I had him killed."

Jason didn't know what to say. He wasn't that fond of Brenda, but he still hated to see the pain on her face, especially when he knew that this was one crime she was innocent of.

Brenda looked at him with sad brown eyes.

"Do you know that when I was young, I swore that I would be respectable?" She whispered. "The last thing I wanted was to be like my mother."

Jason winced. Brenda's mother had been a woman of questionable character. It was no secret that she had frequented the beds of men other than her husband, nor the fact that she had taken her own life after she had become pregnant with one of her lover's children.

"Instead I became just like her." Brenda whispered, her voice rich with self-loathing. "I'm as tainted as you can be. The only difference is I'm one man's whore instead of many men's."

"Brenda, don't talk like that." Jason said, even though he knew that many people had said the same thing about her. "You're not a whore. You love Sonny."

"I do." Brenda said quietly. "So much, that I ended up sacrificing my self-respect for him."

* * *


	11. Part Nine: Interference

A Dangerous Game  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction.  
_  
Part Nine- Interference

"Caroline has set the wedding date." Sonny told Jason the next night as they met to discuss business. "We'll be wed in three weeks."

"Have you told Brenda yet?" Jason asked.

Sonny shook his head. "I'll do so tonight. We have a... rendezvous planned." 

Jason was quiet. "Are you sure you should being doing this?" He asked after a minute. "Sonny, is it really fair to Brenda to have her as your mistress?"

"What brought this on?" Sonny asked, not answering the question. Jason had never approved of his relationship with Brenda, but this was the first time he voiced concern on her behalf.

"Skye came to see her yesterday." Jason told him. "Sonny, she accused Brenda of having Jax killed."

Sonny went white. He had tried to protect from those rumors. He knew that they would hurt her and he didn't want that for anything in the world. "How did she react?"

"She was upset." Jason said after a moment. "Sonny, she started talking about how when she was young, she had been so determined to be respectable, to be nothing like her mother."

He paused and Sonny could see him considering his words.

"Sonny, she called herself a whore."

Sonny stared at Jason in shock, shaken by his words. He had never ever imagined that Brenda would think of herself that way, though he knew some of the more conservative or vindictive members of society did.

Still, he had never thought of Brenda as anything other than the woman he loved and it was a deep blow to learn how much he had hurt her.

"Damn it." He muttered.

"Yeah." Jason agreed. "I tried to talk to her, tell her it wasn't true, but... I've never seen her like that before."

Sonny looked at his friend in despair. "What should I do, Jason?" He asked in a low voice. "The last thing I want to do is cause her pain. But at the same time, I don't think I'm strong enough to give her up."

"Maybe you have to be." Jason said quietly. "At least until this thing with Caroline is over. You've always told me how much you love her. Well, Robin taught me that love is selfless and that you have to think about what's best for the other person. And maybe, this is what's best for Brenda."

Sonny closed his eyes and considered his friend's words. Jason was right, he had taken so much from Brenda, it was only fair that he gave her back her self-respect. 

No matter how much it hurt him to do so.

* * *

Brenda was waiting for Sonny and she smiled when he finally arrived.

"Hey." She said, moving into his arms.

"Hey." He said, holding her tight.

Brenda looked at him carefully and saw how serious he was. "What's wrong?" She asked gently, putting her hand under his chin.

Sonny just looked at her and then he took her hand in his and lowered it. He led her to the bed. "Brenda, we have to talk."

Brenda looked at him, alarmed. "What is it?" She asked, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. 

"I think we should stop seeing each other until I get this mess with Caroline sorted out." Sonny said quietly.

She stared at him. "What? But... I thought..."

"I know." Sonny said softly. "But I realize that isn't fair to you. Brenda, I love you and there's nothing I want more than to have you in my bed all the time, but... Until tonight I'd never thought about how you must feel. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to damage your self-respect."

Brenda realized that Jason must have talked to Sonny and she was furious, but at the same time she was kind of touched that Jason appeared to be concerned about her.

"Sonny, I made my choice a long time ago." She said gently.

"I know." Sonny told her. "I also know why you made that choice and I hate that I put you in that position. I was selfish, thinking of what I wanted, what I needed. But no longer, now I'm going to think of you and what you need." 

"All I need is you." Brenda protested, but at the same time she was wondering if that was true.

Sonny looked at her gently. "No, you need to be able to respect yourself." Sonny said. "And I'll make sure that you can. Until this mess is over, I'll stay away from you."

Brenda nodded. As hard as it would be to stay away from Sonny, she had felt slightly nauseous at the idea of being with him when they were both married to other people. Again.

"Can you stay tonight, at least?" She asked softly. "One last night to remember until this is all over?"

Sonny smiled, a warm look in his eyes.

"You drive a hard bargain, Brenda." He whispered, taking her in his arms.

She didn't say anything, just smiled before moving to claim his lips with her own.

* * *


	12. Part Ten: Conversations

A Dangerous Game  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Rating in the Introduction.  
_  
Part Ten: Conversations

"What gives you the right to interfere in my personal life?" Brenda demanded angrily the next morning, storming into Jason's study.

Jason winced. He had anticipated this reaction. Honestly, he didn't know what had prompted him to meddle. Except, the vulnerability on Brenda's face when she talked about her mother had shaken him. Had made him want to protect her.

"You did. I'm your husband, remember?" Jason said ruefully.

She glared at him. "A marriage in name only doesn't give you the right to interfere with my relationship with Sonny."

Jason sighed, knowing she was right. "I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have, but silly me, I was actually looking out for you."

"Why?" She asked softly.

Jason stared at her. "Why what?"

"Why do you care?" She challenged. "No one's ever really tried to protect me before. Not even Sonny, who claims to love me more than life." 

"Maybe that's why." Jason told her. "Because no one else ever has."

"Then thank you." Brenda told him. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still mad at you for interfering in my life, but you were right, I can't handle being Sonny's mistress again."

Jason just nodded. "But you would have."

"Yes." She admitted. "Because at the same time, I can't say no to him. Sonny's a drug to me, I'll never be able to resist him. No matter how much damage he does to me."

Jason was quiet for a moment. Sonny had said something similar to him once. Years before, when Brenda was married to Jax and Sonny to Lily. He had told Jason that he could never resist Brenda, no matter how much he knew he should.

Jason hadn't really understood it then and he didn't understand it now. He had loved Robin, but it hadn't been like that. It hadn't been the obsession that Brenda and Sonny shared. He honestly thought that was a good thing. Love should make you happy, it shouldn't control you. 

Brenda seemed to read his thoughts. "I'm not sure our relationship is the healthiest in the world." She said lightly. "Sometimes I'm not sure if it's love or obsession... I just know that from the moment we met, I belonged to Sonny."

"People don't belong to other people." Jason told her.

"Sometimes, they do." Brenda said sadly. "Jason, Sonny and I... If we could have broken whatever it was between us, we would have, long ago. Yet, here we are, still entwined."

"Is it worth it?" Jason asked.

Brenda gave him a sad smile. "I don't know. I honestly don't."

* * *


End file.
